The present invention relates to a process for producing at least one alkylbenzene by alkylation of the benzene by means of mono-olefin(s). The original monoolefin or mixture of mono-olefins may stem from any well-known source, for example from catalytic cracking or steam-cracking units.
The use of zeolites in the H form, particularly the ZSM5, has already been suggested for carrying out this reaction (European Pat. No. 104,729).
More recently, other zeolites have been put forward, particularly certain mordenites, alone or mixed with faujasite (U.S. Pat. No. 3,436,432), possibly with a metal from group VIII deposited on it (U.S. Pat. No. 3,851,004). Japanese Patents No. 58,216,128 and 58,159,427 recommend mordenites alone, with a low Si/Al ratio (4.5 to 5), containing metallic ions such as Mg, K, Ca, or in the H.sup.+ form (Japanese Pat. No. 041,670).
Still more recently, a French patent application (national registration number 88/14,099) reports satisfactory results obtained in the presence of dealuminized mordenites with a total atomic ratio Si/Al ranging from 30 to 80.